


painkiller

by soymilksi



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blood and Gore, Bottom Eren Yeager, Brutal Murder, Crimes & Criminals, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Drug Withdrawal, Emotional Manipulation, Graphic Description, Graphic Description of Corpses, Gun Violence, Human Trafficking, Illegal Activities, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Minor Character Death, Modern Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, Murder, Organized Crime, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Police, Rape, Rape/Non-con Elements, Top Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Torture, Undercover, not rly a romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:26:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25105423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soymilksi/pseuds/soymilksi
Summary: Police Captain Levi of the Narcotics and Vice Division receives a special assignment from Commander Erwin: take down a drug ring in Shiganshina and, most importantly, come back alive. Upon relocating to the opioid-infested city, he meets Eren, a smart, pretty, homeless drug dealer who agrees to act as Levi’s double agent in exchange for a home."Beg me for mercy, admit you were toxic. You poisoned me just for another dollar in your pocket."
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 33
Kudos: 93





	1. one of the good guys

“Hey, did you hear me?” Erwin stops typing and looks up from his screen. “Levi.”

Levi shakes his head, his signature scowl beginning to curl on his lips. It's Wednesday, right in the middle of Levi’s work week, and Erwin had just dropped a bomb on Levi with the same air of casualness he used whenever he asked Levi to turn in a report by the deadline, or stop being mean to the Narcotics team, or to kindly stop making toilet jokes to the new recruits.

Unfortunately, Levi heard Erwin’s words loud and clear. Erwin had just asked him to take over the undercover investigation of a drug ring in Shiganshina, a small city in the South known for its oil and fish exports.

“What the fuck, Erwin?” he chokes out.

Levi takes a look around him. Erwin’s office is neat and minimal save for the large stack of papers that clutter his desk. An obnoxious amount of medals and certificates decorated the walls, which almost always caused Levi to roll his eyes when he looked at them. The senior officer was staring back at Levi with a trained smirk, too used to Levi’s vulgar language. The tense atmosphere in the room causes Levi’s gut to ache.

“Why are you surprised?” Erwin asks. “Captain or not, we both know you prefer field work to paper pushing.”

Levi bites his lip as he thinks of a response. It’s true, of course. Levi’s loyalty to Erwin knows no bounds, and yet, today, every part of Levi screams a solid, “No,” that prickles under his skin. Despite being a part of the police force for five years, Levi had never been asked to work undercover. He’d brought in more than enough convictions working at the desk and occasionally accompanying police detectives Petra and Eld on their investigations.

Levi personally knew officers who’d returned from undercover work after months or even years of serving— all of them had to undergo mental health counseling and were often torn over testifying against criminals they’d pretended to befriend.

He recalls reading the file on the Shiganshina drug ring, which was a mere twenty pages long. Twenty pages of information was dust to Levi; uncharted territory meant unspeakable dangers. 

Best case scenario, Levi would walk away unscathed after taking down an amateur drug operation started by two high school dropouts in their basement. Worst case scenario, Levi would have his head chopped off for interfering with a branch of a major drug operation. Levi’s gut feeling tells him the situation in Shiganshina leans towards the latter.

The narcotics business is some dangerous stuff, Levi thinks to himself.

“Not this kind of field work, Erwin,” Levi starts, hands gesturing wildly, “Auruo was literally murdered investigating this ring _last week_ and I’m his replacement? I like my head, thank you very fucking much.”

“And a pretty head that is,” Erwin agrees with a contemptuous smile as he leans forward on his elbows, fingers locking together. Levi rolls his eyes. 

Erwin continues, “But more than that, you’re _smart_ , Levi. Too smart to get yourself killed. You’re my best officer. Do you know how much you’ve done for this department already?”

“A shit ton, that’s what,” Levi offers with another scowl, knowing Erwin was about to recite a list of Levi’s achievements in his five years in the Narcotics Division.

“Yes, exactly.” Erwin reaches for the topmost paper in his obnoxiously tall stack. Erwin points to a bearded man’s mugshot. “Remember him?”

Levi’s eyebrow twitches. “‘Course I do. Mitabi Jarnach. My first arrest.”

“It was through your investigation and subsequent interrogation of Jarnach, a seemingly unimportant figure in our records, that we were able to conduct a raid on the Reeves Company’s biggest drug shipment of the year _and_ catch Dimo Reeves, the kingpin.” A proud smile graces Erwin’s lips as he speaks.

He moves over to the next few papers in the stack in a methodical manner. Levi recognizes it as a case report he had written four years ago, which included a picture of mangled human remains. “And this man -Thomas Wagner- how could we have possibly solved his murder and several others if it weren’t for you listening in on Dimo Reeves’ son, Flegel’s, wiretapped conversation and completely cracking their code?”

Levi narrows his eyes. He remembers that case well. He’d been listening to Flegel’s conversation over and over again, visualizing the words as maps in his head, comparing them to past conversations, until he realized exactly what he was talking about— the location of Wagner’s body and the manner in which he was killed. It led the team to a bay full of body parts in black trash bags. Levi still remembers the horrifying cries of Wagner’s mother when he informed her they finally found her son. Those cries sometimes infiltrated his dreams on those rare nights where he found himself able to sleep.

He smacks his hand onto the papers, stopping Erwin from moving to the next few. “Spare me the fucking praises, Erwin. I’m more valuable _here_ , not in some drug-infested city. You really want me to put my ass on the line for this?”

Erwin moves his hand away from the papers and lowers his gaze thoughtfully. “Yes. It’s the only way to make sure Auruo’s death wasn’t in vain.”

Levi’s gaze softens in mild surprise. “And here I thought you were a cold-hearted bastard.”

Erwin chuckles darkly. “Please stop fighting me on this, Levi. You have to understand- I’m not asking you to do this,” Erwin pauses as his lips curl into a smirk, “I’m telling you to.”

“Way to abuse your power, Commander Smith,” Levi remarks pointedly, crossing his legs in his seat.

Erwin ignores him and gestures towards yet another piece of paper, this time an unsigned contract. “The details are all in here. You’ll be granted full immunity for any necessary illegal actions undertaken during the operation. You’re looking at just a few months to half a year. At minimum, I expect you to collect as much information as you can; but the objective is to get convictions and take the Shiganshina drug operation down. Once you sign, I’ll set you up with Hange, your handler, and erase you from our database. Of course, you'll be paid handsomely for this.” Erwin’s serious gaze meets Levi’s incredulous one. “Tread slowly, Levi. Don’t make the same mistakes as Auruo.”

“You seriously think I can get farther than Auruo did? We still don’t even know who killed him and why.”

“It’s part of your assignment to find out.”

“Do I even have a choice?” Levi’s voice drops as he takes the contract in his hands, eyes skimming over the terms. 

“On paper, yes. But frankly speaking, no.”

Levi nods knowingly. “Manipulative bastard.”

Erwin smiles. “The one and only.”

“Knowing you, you’ve got some big theory or plan in the works, right?” Levi presses further, pen hovering over the signature line.

“No, just a feeling,” Erwin replies cryptically.

Levi shakes his head. “I’m signing a death sentence over a fucking _feeling,_ how reassuring.” He scribbles his name onto the paper, signature neat as ever, and Erwin smirks.

“I have full faith in you. I expect you to come back from this assignment alive.” Erwin pulls out a manila folder of files from the stack. “The case files.”

Levi cocks a brow as he snatches the case file from Erwin’s hands. “Don’t underestimate me, Erwin.”

Detective Hange Zoe peers at Levi through her glasses for a long moment. He stares back at her from across the table, annoyed. It’s been a week since Levi signed his life over to becoming an undercover cop for Erwin and he was finally able to meet his handler, the one person in the police force besides Erwin he was permitted to make contact with during his investigation. 

Levi had spent the past week training for his new assignment and reading both the Shiganshina drug ring file and Auruo’s hastily typed reports over and over again until he could recite the words verbatim. The mental maps were beginning to form in Levi’s brain, but he lacked way too much information to be able to know where to start. Auruo had only spent two months on the case before his untimely death, and in that time, he only managed to report his contact with low-level drug dealers. In a sense, Levi was starting from scratch. 

“Hey, shitty glasses, I didn’t come here to waste my time having a staring contest,” Levi barks.

Hange laughs loudly, earning a few stares from the other customers in the quaint cafe. Levi fails to hide his pleasant surprise at Hange’s blatant resolve to remain unfazed by his manner of speaking. 

“Sorry, I just can’t believe Erwin would assign someone as mean-looking as you to this case. How are you gonna make friends with that scowl?”

“And I can’t believe he’d assign someone with less than half a brain cell to be my handler,” Levi retorts with a cross of his arms.

“Didn’t they teach you manners at the academy, Levi?” Hange laughs again heartily and quickly puts her hands up in a ‘surrender’ motion. “I can call you that, right? Levi?”

Levi turns his head indignantly, finger gripping the handle of his teacup. “Whatever. I didn’t go through the academy. Didn’t you read my file? Are you illiterate, too?” He glares at the brown-haired woman suspiciously.

“Fortunately, I can read very well,” Hange replies as she adjusts her glasses. She offers Levi a bright grin and explains, “I just didn’t read your file. I thought I’d learn about you from the man himself.”

Levi briefly considers telling Hange about himself, but quickly decides against it. “There’s nothing worth knowing about me. Not for the purposes of this investigation, anyway.” 

And it was true. Levi Ackerman, Captain of the Narcotics and Vice Division, had been erased from the police databases. All cases he was involved in now required a security clearance to be approved by Commander Erwin Smith himself. 

His new identity was Levi Ackerman, a deadbeat who was just fired from his no-name company because of misconduct and insubordination and has a traceable criminal history of car theft, drug dealing, and the occasional street brawl.

“Aww, that’s no fun, Levi!” Hange cries. She leans forward excitedly. “What’s your star sign?”

Levi huffs in annoyance. “Don’t joke with me, four eyes. I’m putting my ass on the line for this operation.”

Hange’s demeanor changes drastically as her voice lowers and her shoulders tense. “Trust me, Levi, I know. I haven’t gone undercover myself, but I’ve been told by other experienced officers that if you come out of that operation all kinds of fucked up, it means you were successful.” 

“Now that’s a shitty measurement for success if I’ve ever seen one,” Levi mutters under his breath.

“It is, right? Now, I can share stories with you about everything I’ve learned from my fellow officers, but considering you officially relocate tomorrow, let’s get to business.” Hange fishes out a stack of files from her bag.

Levi’s eyes gleam in surprise as Hange spreads the files out on the table. “ _Now_ we’re talking.”

“First things first…” Hange searches the papers haphazardly until she pulls out a blown up picture and shoves it in Levi’s face. “You know this guy?”

Levi’s eyes shine in recognition of the young man in the picture, which was taken by Auruo from afar. The subject couldn’t be older than twenty, but his serious expression and darkness in his green eyes causes him to look more mature than he needs to be. His long, brown hair is pulled back into a bun and he looks to be physically fit. A pretty one, Levi thinks, and he can’t help but pity the boy for getting himself tangled up with the law like this.

In the picture, he’s leaning against a wall in an empty alley, lost in thought with his head craned toward the sky. The young man was Auruo’s first contact and the source of most of the information Levi had been reading nonstop for a week. 

“Eren Jaeger, Auruo’s informant, low-level drug dealer,” Levi says immediately.

Hange nods excitedly. “Ding, ding, ding! And what are you going to do as soon as you get to Shiganshina tomorrow afternoon?”

“Find him.”

Levi doesn’t know what kind of asshole ghost possesses him to give Erwin a call in the middle of the night, but he finds himself anxiously listening to the methodical ringing of his phone in his hand as he waits for the man to answer.

His stomach twists uncomfortably, and the captain briefly wonders if his superior has the ability to fall asleep at a normal hour, unlike him. His eyes flit over the emptiness of his apartment and the large suitcase in the corner of his bedroom.

“Levi,” Erwin says into the phone as if he’d been expecting his call, “You should be asleep. Your train leaves early this morning.”

“I can sleep on the train, asshat,” Levi mumbles, instantly regretting this phone call.

Erwin stays silent on the other end, much to Levi’s annoyance. Levi speaks up, “Is it too late to turn back?”

“Yes. This isn’t your death sentence, Levi.”

“Easy for you to say. You get to take shits in your cushy office bathroom without worrying about getting your asshole blown off by deranged drug dealers.”

Erwin’s merry laugh aggravates Levi. The man’s next words are slow but sure, “Are you scared?”

Levi holds his breath. “I don't have time to be scared. I trust your judgement, Erwin. You’re looking somewhere I can’t even see.”

“Right now, I’m looking at files on my computer,” Erwin jokes.

“Ha, ha, ha,” Levi replies sarcastically, “Your jokes are getting worse by the day.”

“I went undercover my first year working in Organized Crime,” Erwin says suddenly, causing Levi to jump in surprise. “I took down a small child trafficking operation abroad, but not without sacrificing my sanity and morals along the way. To this day, I still can’t read the report I wrote after everything without throwing up.”

“If you’re trying to make me feel better, you’re doing a bang up job at it, you asshole.”

“I’m not,” Erwin assures with a chuckle. “But I just wanted you to know that, no matter what kinds of things you end up doing or seeing, you’re one of the good guys, Levi.”

“One of the good guys, huh?” Levi repeats. “So if I kill a man to protect my identity, but fail to take the drug ring down, am I still a good guy or just a murderer?”

“You’re still a good guy,” Erwin insists.

Levi hums in response, not sure if he’s satisfied with that answer. “I don’t think so, Erwin. Goodnight.”

Levi hangs up immediately and tosses his phone in the wastebasket next to his bed. With nothing to do but drown in his thoughts, Levi’s mind wanders to his first task as an undercover cop.

_Find Eren Jaeger._


	2. toy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so let's just pretend it didn't take me nearly five months to publish this chapter. it's pretty long so I hope that makes up for it :')

Eren sits with his legs crossed on the brick wall, chin perked while he scouts his surroundings. He’s sitting in a wet, empty alley adjacent to the ocean, with the only occasional passersby those familiar enough with Shiganshina’s backroads to go through. He sniffs, the familiar pungent aroma of fish and salty seawater wafting into his nostrils. His eyes glaze over the bustling harbor as rowdy fishermen come and go in tiny boats next to large, colorful shipping containers. Beyond the sea of blue, Eren muses, the world melts away into the horizon.

He looks down at his watch and sighs. He’s been sitting on the wall for ten minutes. He hates when clients make him wait. 

As if on cue, Dot Pixis strolls into the alley, drunk and cheery as ever. Eren narrows his eyes at the two bodyguards behind him and knows they were called to make sure Eren doesn't try anything funny. Frankly, he’s a tad offended.

“Eren, my favorite drug dealer,” Pixis calls merrily, gruff voice echoing through the alley.

“Pixis.” Eren feigns a smile, kicking his legs backwards as he launches himself off the wall. “What’s with the thugs? Scared I’ll run off with your money?”

The old man scratches the back of his head and opens his mouth, the stench of alcohol escaping with every word, “I hope you’re not offended, Eren. After the whole, you know,” he makes a fake gunshot to his head motion, “ _murder_ thing with the rat, I thought I should play it safe in these parts.”

It doesn’t take much for Eren to read between the lines. Since Auruo’s death, his credibility has been shot. He should’ve known helping a cop would only mean trouble for him in the long run. Plus, the guy was actually kind of his friend. What a shame.

Eren scoffs, considering the rumor going around is that Pixis is responsible. Eren mocks Pixis’ gunshot motion with a trained smile, “I heard something through the grapevine about you. Something about murder. You should watch your back, Pixis.”

If ever there were ever a time for Eren to learn when to shut up, it’s now. 

“Oh, well.” Pixis clicks his tongue. “You shouldn’t believe everything you hear. Although, I can’t blame someone for wanting to exterminate a rat. Wouldn’t want an infestation.”

“No, we wouldn’t want that,” Eren agrees coolly. He fishes a baggie of white powder from his pocket and flashes it in front of Pixis. Pixis’ eyes shine in recognition.

“You know the drill, pay up first. Ten, right?”

He watches in disdain as Pixis’ expression immediately twists into an almost lecherous one. “Fifteen, actually.”

Eren narrows his eyes and nods slowly, pulling out bags from his backpack pocket. After counting fifteen bags, the two exchange a nod. Pixis grins and motions for one of his thugs to come forward. The burly man hands Eren several wads of cash and Eren takes a moment to count them.

After paying Reiner a percentage, he still has enough cash to feed himself for two weeks and keep saving up for a home. 

“You know, Eren…” Pixis starts, getting dangerously close to Eren. He reaches for Eren and lightly traces his jawline. Eren pulls his hips backward, refusing to break eye contact with the man. Eren’s hand discreetly hovers over the sleek metal of a gun nestled in the waistband of his pants, right on his back. 

“Everything about you is pretty, except that mouth of yours.” Pixis’ finger flits over Eren’s lip, causing the younger man to stare back in clear disgust. His nose scrunches at the smell of alcohol that lingers on Pixis’ breath. 

Pixis lowers his voice, “Consider this a warning not to spread such dangerous lies.”

“Don’t touch me, Pixis,” Eren growls through his teeth as anger wells inside of him. Pixis steps back in surprise. Eren takes advantage of this moment to remove Pixis’ hand from his face. With his hand still tightly gripping Pixis’ wrists, he squeezes as hard as he can.

“I’m no one’s toy.”

Eren squeezes harder until his nails dig into the wrinkles of Pixis’ skin. Pixis forcefully pulls his hand back, successfully prying himself from Eren’s strong grip. Pixis laughs and sniffs the air, eyes looking Eren up and down.

“My, the boy’s got some spirit!” Pixis remarks heartily. 

Eren bares his teeth in anger as he backs away from the old man. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

Pixis’ men move forward to deal with the defiant Eren, but Pixis raises his arm in the air to stop them. “Let him go, he’s not worth it.”

Eren’s muscles tense uncomfortably as he watches Pixis and his men leave. Eren kicks a crumpled can on the ground as far as he can. 

Eren is far from the self-pitying type. Something about today’s encounter with Pixis, however, was absolutely degrading. He’s exhausted. As he saunters his way to the soup kitchen where Armin works full-time (yet they couldn’t be bothered to pay him a living wage), keeping an eye out for his friend on the familiar path across town, he ponders just how he’d gotten to this point. 

Eren stares up at the sky, expression twisted into a grimace. Where did things go wrong? How'd he get here?

“Eren!” 

Eren turns around instantly at the sound of Armin’s familiar call. Armin is waving happily, hugging a few rolls of bread wrapped in a white cloth in his arms. Armin grins, relieved to have finally found his friend. Armin is the one good thing that came out of becoming homeless. His parents kicked him out after he came out to them, and he's been in the business of being homelessness just as long as Eren has.

“I was looking everywhere for you!” Armin cries, lifting his arms to showcase the golden rolls of bread. “I brought some snacks from work. I’m on break now. Oh, and Sasha says hello.”

“Oh, your coworker?”

Armin nods, basically shoving the bread in Eren’s face. “Eat!”

Eren sighs dramatically, grabbing a roll at random. “Thanks, Armin. I’m beat.”

Armin rolls his eyes as Eren takes a bite of the bread. “What have you been doing all day? Jean said he saw you hanging with Reiner. He’s a _drug dealer_ , Eren. He doesn’t even treat you like a pers-”

“Tell Horseface to mind his own damn business.” Eren sighs again, not allowing Armin a moment to defend the idiot. “I was working. Helping Hannes at the junkyard. He actually paid me decently this time.”

Eren considers himself lucky he’s growing his hair out, otherwise Armin would see the way his ears burn a traitorous shade of red. He hates lying to Armin, but he concluded protecting his best friend mattered more than that. Reiner is dangerous and Eren would be damned if he let Armin in on something people lose their lives for. 

Armin nods and changes the subject, satisfied. “Do you think the shelter’s open tonight? Wanna sleep there?”

Eren winces at the thought of the overcrowded, understaffed homeless shelter nearby. Armin seems to detect this and says softly, “Beggars can’t be choosers, Eren.”

Eren bites back a retort and balls his fists. The cash he made today feels heavier in his back pocket. “I’m gonna get us out of this shithole, Armin, I swear.” 

Armin fixes his gaze on the ocean and smiles. “We’re gonna get an apartment in the city and eat from different places everyday.”

“Yeah, and we’ll get a car so we don’t have to wander around these damn streets everyday. We can drive wherever we want,” Eren continues.

Armin’s grin grows even bigger and he latches his arm around Eren’s. “Sounds like a plan. But first, I’d rather sleep at the shelter than on the streets.”

Eren fake groans. “Fine, the shelter it is. If we see Horseface, I’m leaving.”

“His family owns the place, Eren,” Armin chides.

“Too bad.”

The air is too salty and humid for Levi’s taste. He hates the sea breeze and the fishy smell that attacks him everywhere he walks. Dragging his suitcase that’s more than half his size behind him, he carries onto his new apartment.

At this point, he wishes with every fiber of his being that he could cuss Erwin out right now, the manipulative ass of a man. If he hadn’t owed that man his actual life, would things be different right now?

Levi shakes his head minutely. Of course it would. He wouldn’t even be on the police force considering he wasn’t formally trained. Under normal circumstances, Levi wouldn’t have gotten his foot in the door if it weren’t for Erwin personally vouching for his abilities and adding him to his team. To this day, Levi questions if that was legal but he enjoys his job, anyway. He’ll repay that Captain America lookalike no matter what it takes.

With a newfound vigor, Levi settles himself into his apartment, which isn’t too shabby. It’s even furnished for him. Whoever cleaned the room did a nightmare of a job, but Levi is always prepared for that. Just as he’s searching for the disinfectant bottle and rag he packed, his new phone rings with the word “Unknown” flashing on his screen. It's specially designed against wiretapping and any sort of tracking. He fumbles with it for a little, struggling to tap the Answer button with his cleaning gloves on. He curses under his breath, tossing the gloves to the side.

Pressing the ‘Speaker’ button on his phone, he growls, “What do you want?”

Hange, the only one with his phone number, giggles into the phone with the excitement of a five-year-old receiving candy. Levi hears Hange’s frantic breathing and the furious honking of a car as she navigates a busy-sounding street. 

“Shit, almost died- Levi, you made it!”

“How do you-” Levi narrows his eyes, staring at his phone screen suspiciously as if Hange could see it. “You’re tracking me on this piece of shit phone? Is that even possible?”

“No, silly!” Levi can practically hear Hange’s shit-eating grin. 

“Then what?” he asks flatly, picking up his cleaning supplies and proceeding to wipe down the surface of his desk.

“Oh, I totally forgot to tell you!”

“Not surprising. What is it?” 

Suddenly, Levi hears a knock on the door. “I’m hanging up, shithead.” After he hangs up, he looks through the door hole and immediately swings his door open. Police detective Hange stares back at him with beaming eyes and an even wider smile on her face than he imagined.

“Hi, Levi! I asked the front desk guy to let me know when you checked in. Flashed my badge and everything. Very official.”

Levi is tempted to slam the door in Hange’s face for dramatic effect, but decides against it due to the absolute dumbfuckery of the situation. Instead, he pulls her in by the arm and shuts the door behind them.

“What the _fuck_ are you doing here? Aren’t you compromising my identity right now?” Levi hisses through his teeth.

Hange ignores him and takes a look around the apartment, wolf-whistling. “Nice place you got here. Wow, smells like lemons. Guess who chose it for you?”

“Hey, shitty glasses.” Levi tugs on Hange’s collar. “I’m serious.”

Hange gently pushes his hand away, smiling. “Did you think you were gonna have to contact your handler from so far away? I just got back myself, after our meeting.”

“O…kay,” Levi says slowly, trying to process the information. “You live here, then?”

“Not in the area, no. Just about a thirty minute drive from here. Don’t worry, Erwin’s not an idiot. I had to go through a background check and Erwin made sure I hadn’t made any previous contact with the people written in Auruo’s report. Auruo’s handler was too spooked to take the job.” Hange puts her hands up as if she’s surrendering. “Please don’t make that face, Levi. I'm just here in case anything happens.”

Levi nods solemnly. “Alright, now get out before I personally kick you to the curb. You told me yourself to go find Jaeger.”

“But, Levi!” Hange whines, making puppy eyes. “I have a housewarming gift for you in the car! A step stool!”

Levi’s eyes shine dangerously and Hange can feel herself tense up in sore regret. 

“Get. Out.”

"But-!"

Levi pushes the babbling woman out of his apartment and shuts the door. He sighs and his eyes land on the case file on the kitchen counter. Eren Jaeger’s photo is right on top. Levi groans before pulling on his jacket and messing up his hair, trying to appear more like someone so stressed from their job they want to buy drugs from a nineteen-year-old homeless kid. He doesn’t have to do much, anyway. His dark eyes are emphasized by the shadows under them and he doesn’t look like a cop in the first place.

“I swear to god, if this brat is just a dead end for me…” 

The streets are easy enough to wander. Shiganshina is a small ocean city with narrow roads and clear gentrification at work. If Levi just keeps walking south, he knows he’ll find Eren _somewhere_. Auruo’s reports said he always had trouble finding the kid. It isn’t much of a surprise to Levi, considering he’s homeless and probably gets kicked off of properties often. Levi knows exactly how it is.

“Fucking hell, if only I had a car-” he mutters to himself as pieces of trash blow past him on the windy street. 

Levi continues walking down the street for twenty minutes. The sun is almost fully set and the streets are emptying more and more. He when he hears incessant shouting from an alleyway ahead. The back of Levi’s neck prickles with anticipation and, if he were on patrol right now, he’d absolutely do something to get them to shut up. Instead, he tries to keep looking forward because Levi Ackerman is a businessman and-

Familiar green eyes shine in the darkness of the alley, catching Levi’s for a split second. It’s Eren, Levi concludes immediately. He could recognize that scowl, those eyes, his thick, furrowed brows from anywhere. Levi keeps walking until he’s right at the corner of the alley, hidden from their view but still able to listen to and occasionally peek at what’s happening.

It is absolutely Levi’s lucky day. 

The young man continues to shout at the other man and gives him a good shove. “Reiner, you fuck! That’s not what we agreed on!”

“Eren, shut the fuck up, man! Look where we are right now!” The larger, burly man, whom Levi assumes to be Reiner, shoves Eren backwards into the wall. 

Eren groans from the impact, but immediately adjusts his stance. He balls his hands into fists and looks around to make sure no one is watching (luckily, he can’t see Levi). Eren lowers his voice, “Listen, man, you can’t fucking take a bigger cut like that. You _know_ I need the money. You know it.”

“That’s not my problem, bro,” Reiner says with a shrug. “It’s out of my hands. You know you have all my supply right now? Now shut the fuck up if you know what’s best for you.”

Eren relents, shrugging his shoulders. He purses his lips and watches with dismay as Reiner walks further into the alley to get to his car. Eren looks like he’s about to cry.

Levi decides to look for Eren again tomorrow. 

The next day, Levi finds Eren sitting alone near a pier after exactly two hours of searching every street near the alley from last night and finally taking a break to eat lunch. Levi neatly folds the burger wrapper (“‘Twas a shitty meal indeed,” he thinks) and tosses it in the trash.

Eren is sitting on a bench, looking lost in thought while eating lunch from the same burger stand nearby. His hair is tied back into a bun and he’s wearing a worn, black leather jacket that makes him stand out from the flurry of light t-shirts and khakis that pass him. Levi feels lucky to find him again and wonders if he should just continue making note of the places Eren frequents or make direct contact. 

“Fuck it,” Levi mutters under his breath. He’s just a low-level drug dealer. A pawn. Levi thinks of the debt he owes Erwin. If Erwin wants him to take down a drug operation, he’ll do that. Levi won’t make any progress with this case if he can’t even get past the kid. First step: establish any kind of relationship with Eren.

He clears his throat, messes his hair up a bit for extra measure, and confidently walks to the bench where Eren is sitting. When he’s about five steps away, Eren looks up at him from his burger, bright green eyes practically boring holes into Levi’s soul. Eren furrows his brows in confusion. 

Levi cocks one side of his lip upward into a smirk. “Hey, kid. You a friend of Reiner’s?”

Reiner’s name clicks in Eren’s head and his facial expression twists from confusion to understanding and back to suspicion. “The fuck do you want, dude?”

“He told me to come find you. Told me what you look like and everything. Guess I’m lucky to find you here since I was gonna text you to set something up tonight.” Levi prays that Eren can’t see through his lies. He actually thinks he’s doing a good job.

Eren doesn’t say anything, which annoys Levi.

“Listen, you selling? I could really use something out here. My job’s a pain in the ass.” Levi scratches his head for extra effect.

“What are you in the market for?” Eren asks cautiously. 

“What do you think?”

Eren hums in response and continues taking bites of his burger.

“Hey, brat, I’m waiting.” Levi taps his foot impatiently and crosses his arms. “You’ve got business, so make your damn sale.”

Eren just looks forward, right past Levi. Levi resists the urge to punch the kid for not having basic manners.

“He said you were short. I thought the attitude was an exaggeration, to be honest, but I guess the scowl from your picture should’ve been telling enough,” Eren says simply and takes the last bite of his burger.

Levi takes a step backward, more confused than annoyed. “What?”

Eren slaps his hands together to get the crumbs off and stands. Eren towers over Levi, his six-foot stature almost causing the older man to gulp nervously. 

“Not what, who,” Eren corrects, “Auruo.”

All Levi can think of is how he is now _royally fucked_. If he could kill Auruo a second time, he would.


	3. i can

Levi is sharp. He has a good track record for arrests, extensive knowledge of the narcotics business, and can think on his feet. He’s constantly praised for his work in the field and knows Erwin wouldn’t have chosen just _anyone_ for the undercover assignment in Shiganshina. Erwin believes in him more than anyone ever has.

Levi never planned on joining the police force. He served in the military because he had nowhere else to go, came back with severe PTSD for a time, but then what? 

Cue Erwin, his actual knight in shining armor. He offered him a job on a fateful day, wanted him to work in his narcotics team as long as he passed the police entrance exam. Levi’s extensive military experience made up for the lack of training at the academy. When Levi first joined the force, he was motivated by survival; he had no other realistic options at the time. It’s strange, though, how a sense of justice now overtakes him. He’s seen what drugs can do to a person. Maybe it’s his purpose in life to rid the world of it.

Five years after Erwin’s job offer, Levi is standing on a pier in a city hours from his station, his identity compromised on the second day of the job. Even if Erwin favors him, the operation would be a bust and he would probably fire him. Levi is already tired of the salty air and the endless squawking of seagulls, but he knows better than to give up here. He can get out of this.

So he wears his best blank expression, rests his calloused hand at the jutting curve of his hip bone, and claims, “Dunno who that is. I just want some crank, fuckhead. Can you do that for me, please? Or connect me with someone else?”

Eren narrows his eyes. Just like Levi, Eren is sharp. Amusement lights up in his features, as if he’s wondering if he should play Levi’s game with him. He opens his mouth just slightly, a flash of pink flesh wetting his lips as he toys with his response. “I don’t have any. Ran out, sorry. Try Reiner again.”

“Hm.” 

Levi’s critical stare slides up and down Eren’s face. He analyzes it, searching for cracks in Eren’s calm demeanor but unfortunately, there are none. Eren nods his head to Levi, swiveling on his heel to leave the situation. Levi’s ears ring because _goddammit,_ this kid is his only lead. He won’t let Eren be the obstacle between him and taking down the Shiganshina drug operation.

“Your name is all over the police databases for this case. Work with me and you get full immunity for the drug dealing when we make convictions. Or, I can arrest you right now on reasonable suspicion.” Levi averts his gaze to the tattered black backpack hanging loosely off of Eren’s right shoulder. He cocks an eyebrow, feeling quite proud with himself. It’s a simple threat– one that Auruo probably used at some point.

_What’s your move now, Jaeger?_

Eren crosses his arms, thin lips curling into a deep frown. He steps forward and, for a moment, the only sound Levi can hear is the crunching sound of Eren’s soles rubbing against gravel and the adrenaline thrumming through his veins. Levi notes the height difference between them, especially with the inch added from the bottom of Eren’s dirty sneakers.

“You think I’m scared of prison? Honestly? A decent bed every night, meals, maybe some cable?”

Eren’s reply sounds like a taunt. But Levi detects the subtle way Eren’s voice lilts curiously, as if he’s asking what Levi knows about him so far. Levi knows enough. He spent a considerable amount of time researching Eren in the database, reports, and on the internet. 

Eren has absolutely nothing good to his name. He’s an orphan who was in and out of juvie for years since he was 15. Levi remembers reading Eren’s missing person’s report from the fifth foster family he left. Eren is a nobody, a pawn, a small fish to fry in the grand scheme of things. 

But right now, he’s the most vital piece on the board. 

“Truthfully,” Levi says, word rolling off his tongue carefully, “Probably not. You’re probably so preoccupied wondering where you’re gonna sleep tonight, whether it’s at -fuck if I know- the train station or the damn alley by the convenience store, that you can’t possibly process what 10 years in prison, at minimum, is like. And for a kid of your caliber, you bet your ass you should be worried. Your literal ass.”

“My caliber?” Eren echoes with a doubtful raise of his eyebrows. 

“You seem smart. Too smart for this crap life you live. But selling as much crank as you do and whatever the fuck else warrants a federal punishment. You’re gonna live with murderers, arsonists, child molesters, rapists– take your pick.” Levi shrugs his shoulders, stifling a satisfied smirk when Eren remains silent as he ruminates over Levi’s words.

After a minute, Eren clenches his fists and meets Levi’s stoic gaze. “Auruo was my friend but... I let him go in too deep. He knew he was going to die. He told me that if he ever got a replacement, it would be you. He showed me pictures and stuff.” Eren looks away guiltily, intriguing Levi.

“I didn’t say anything about Auruo,” Levi quietly interjects.

“That’s what you want, right? Information.” Eren briefly shuts his eyes. “Well, Auruo wanted that too and two weeks ago, his body was found dismembered in a ditch four blocks from here, half eaten by vultures. You can’t convince me that you’ll be able to protect yourself, let alone _me_. Go home, dude. There’s nothing for you here.”

“I can.” Levi’s gaze never wavers and it briefly reminds Eren of a doll, eternally staring, a striking emptiness in his eyes.

“What?”

“Protect you. If that’s what you need, then I’ll do my best. I’m better, stronger, and smarter than Auruo. I can take whatever the fuck this city throws at me.”

Eren’s eyes widen and he steps backward in confusion. He scans Levi’s expression for any indication of a lie, but Levi doesn’t budge. He’s absolutely serious.

“What’s your name again?” Eren breaks the silence, eyeing Levi cautiously.

“Levi.”

“Well then, Levi,” Eren tests his name out like he’s tasting it. It feels flat and awkward on his tongue. He pulls the dangling backpack strap over his shoulder. “Give me a home and then I’ll think about it. You can’t protect my literal ass if I’m sleeping on the streets.”

Eren’s eyes blaze mightily like fire. He stares Levi down, as if he’s challenging Levi to refuse.

Levi makes quick decisions all the time. He tries his best to make sound judgements, of course, but the nature of his work calls for such quick decision-making. Some of his colleagues have been held at gunpoint and knife– their futures rested on their ability to make a snap decision. Some made the wrong decisions and found themselves in a casket a little while later. His time fighting in war zones and serving on the police force meant he had to do the same, just like in this moment. 

What’s the choice he’ll regret the least?

Finally, “You snore?”

Eren shakes his head.

Levi raises his brow. “Use your product?”

“Do I look like I do? It’s just business.”

Levi hums in satisfaction and folds his arms. “Everything you see, do, and hear, you report to me. You are my _eyes and ears_. At some point, when the time is right, you introduce me as your bodyguard or another dealer, but for now…” Levi pauses to gauge Eren’s reaction. He hangs onto every word, nodding along the way.

“For now, I own you.” Levi carefully extends his right arm. “Deal?”

It only takes a split second for Eren to reach for Levi’s arm and give it a curt, confident shake. 

“Deal.”

Working undercover is by all means a shitty job. Thrilling, yes. But super fucking risky? Also yes. Only the crazy bastards who want to live their lives on the edge would accept this kind of job. Unfortunately, Levi is one of them. He’s going into this operation blind, and that thought deeply unsettles him.

It’s not like he’s not used to just being thrown into the fray. It’s what he’s good at, but it doesn’t mean he has to like every second of it. And now, he’s invited a meth dealer into his home– one that has ties to Auruo’s murderer (he makes a mental note to interrogate Eren about it later). 

The entire walk back to Levi’s apartment was silent, with Levi occasionally looking over his shoulder to 1) make sure Eren was following and wouldn’t shank him out of nowhere and 2) check if they were being followed. He made sure to twist and turn here and there, walk around the block a few times, stop by a cafe for a drink, and walk past his apartment before circling back to it. Even Eren was confused about the actual location of his apartment. 

Levi sets his drink down on the kitchen counter. It’s a cup of black coffee and Levi actually managed to get a few sips in before deciding it’s no longer worth the trouble. He grimaces at the sensation of the hot liquid simmering on his tongue. He’d probably enjoy his drink a little more if he were alone.

He instinctively glances at Eren in contempt as he settles down onto the couch, his body sinking into the cushy fabric.

“Ground rules,” Levi says first, standing over Eren in front of the couch. It’s an authoritative position, one that’ll psychologically taunt Eren into submission. He can’t have a young drug dealer running loose and ruining this whole operation. He doesn’t have a concrete plan, anyway, and needs to feel back in control of the situation. 

Eren hunches his back, resting his elbows on his thighs. Levi resists the incredible urge to snort. Eren already looks so comfortable in Levi’s apartment.

“Sure,” Eren prompts with a long yawn. 

“This couch,” Levi wiggles his finger to gesture to the couch, “is your bed.”

Eren shrugs his shoulders. “I assumed so.”

Levi ignores him and continues, “Don’t enter my bedroom. At all. Period.”

“Okay.”

“And don’t be a slob. I hate the mess. If you don’t clean up after yourself, I’m throwing you out.”

Eren nods.

“And…” Levi’s eyes slide over to Eren’s backpack, “No deals in here. No drug use. No women.”

“And men?” Eren asks, lips quirking upward into a cheeky smile.

Eren’s attitude almost makes Levi laugh, but it also drives him crazy. He’s only known him for half an hour and he’s ready to throw the brat out the door. “Nobody sets foot inside or outside this property, Jaeger,” Levi says sternly.

“Yeah, alright, I get it.” Eren stretches his long limbs as he gets to his feet. He tugs his hair out from his bun in one sweeping motion. “Anything else, Boss Man?”

Levi shakes his head, forehead wrinkling into tight folds as he debates whether he should kick Eren out now or later.

“Cool. I’m gonna shower now.”

As Eren heads toward the bathroom, taking his backpack with him, Levi rolls his eyes. “This is the last time I invite a brat into my apartment.”

Levi rakes his hand through his hair and reaches for the phone in his pocket. He waits until he hears the loud beat of the shower, and then a few more seconds after that before he opens his phone, calling the only contact the device contains. Within seconds, Hange answers in her signature bubbly voice that annoys Levi to no end.

“Talk to me!”

Levi hears faint chatter in the background, presumably Hange’s colleagues at the police station. He knows Hange is sitting in front of a computer, ready to take notes, already recording their conversation to add to the case file. 

“I made contact with Jaeger.”

Hange’s breath hitches audibly on the other end of the phone. “That quickly?”

“Yeah,” Levi replies with a dry laugh, “Found him yesterday fighting with his supplier, Reiner. Seems they cut his pay. I think Reiner’s gonna be my way in.”

“Okay, this is good news. You’re already making progress.”

“Yeah, so I went searching for Jaeger today, found him at a pier. He made me out just like that, said Auruo mentioned me, the dumbass.”

“What, really?! Is the operation compromised?”

“No, fuck, no. I convinced him to help me out, be my eyes and ears. On one condition-”

“This can’t be good,” Hange mumbles to herself.

“He’s living with me now. Not sure how long this arrangement’s gonna take. Maybe for a few weeks until I get my foot in the door.” 

“That’s really dangerous, Levi. I hope you have a plan.”

Levi presses his temple and says in a gruff voice, “Fuck if I know. Auruo worked on this for two months and I don’t know shit. This brat is my only lead and he seems to know something about Auruo’s death.”

Images of Auruo’s mangled, dismembered body flicker through his mind. He remembers the first picture he saw of the crime scene: remnants of a bare leg, foot grimy with dirt in between the toes. It was pale and ashy, brutally sawed through, the cuts ragged and confident. Auruo’s detached head was beaten and bruised nearly beyond recognition, his matted light brown hair tangled with blood and tiny chunks of pink flesh. Somewhere, someone was walking around with pieces of Auruo’s brain stuck underneath their shoe like an incessant lump of wet gravel.

It was an obvious threat to the police, one that didn’t go unnoticed by Levi’s Narcotics Team. Auruo’s body parts were tossed around the ditch haphazardly, but it was glaring; whoever murdered him _wanted_ him to be found and speculated over. The ditch is only a block from a police station. It’s as good a sign as any.

Hange speaks up, prying Levi from his thoughts, “You think Eren Jaeger will get you somewhere?”

“He knows more than we think. I have good reason to believe he’s in line for a promotion soon.” 

“What’s the reason?”

“Reiner trusts him. Plus, he’s been dealing consistently for months and if you look at his client base, they’re not just nobodies. He’s been making profit.”

That’s enough to satisfy Hange. “You trust him?”

Levi pauses, lips pursing into a deep, thin line. “That’s a strong word but yeah, I think so.”

“That’s reasonable. Anything else to report?”

“No. Listen Four-Eyes, I can’t risk frequent calls– not with this kid under my roof. Too damn risky.”

Hange laughs into the receiver, “No problem. Stay safe, Levi.”

Levi hangs up. He stares at the screen, his reflection blankly staring back at him. He lets out the breath he’s been unknowingly holding. He decides to distract himself by reviewing his case notes on the Shiganshina drug ring. He fishes a thick folder and pen out from his book bag and places it onto the coffee table while sitting on the couch. The pages are worn and creased along the edges from Levi’s constant touch. He narrows his eyes upon viewing the shot of Eren at the top of the stack before setting it in the back.

Finally, he settles on the map he’s made of known associates of the Shiganshina drug ring. 

He glances at the very top of the map: a scribble of the word “Boss?” A rung under that is a picture of Reiner, then Eren and a handful of other dealers underneath. Eren’s branch extends to a few notable clients, including Dot Pixis, a shady CEO suspected multiple times for embezzling funds. 

Levi’s eyes run over “Boss” repeatedly, as if something will come to him if he stares hard enough. He knows he’s missing multiple rungs and branches in the map and makes it a mental goal to fill the map out as much as he can. 

“‘Boss.’ That’s Zeke,” Eren’s voice unexpectedly fills the silent living room. Levi turns his head to see Eren peering curiously over his shoulder, damp towel draped over his shoulders and dark hair dripping onto the couch’s armrest. He’s wearing a different t-shirt and slacks, still slightly damp from the mediocre laundry machines at the nearby homeless shelter.

“Dry your hair, punk,” Levi says with a dismissive wave of his hand. “You said ‘Zeke’? Why didn’t you tell Auruo?”

Eren frowns and obediently pulls the towel over his head, rubbing it against his hair. “I didn’t know him ‘til a few days ago. Reiner invited me to a meeting, said his boss Zeke was gonna be there and I should make a good impression if I want better job prospects.”

“A… meeting?” Levi asks as he jots down Zeke’s name under “Boss”.

“Tomorrow night. I just need to report profits, losses, the like. Give insight into how to make the… business better,” Eren scrunches his face uncomfortably.

Levi raises his brow but chooses to ignore Eren’s expression. “Who else is gonna be there?”

“Let’s see…” Eren’s gaze travels upward as he thinks, “I don’t know too many people outside my immediate circle. People are pretty tight-lipped and they don’t trust me enough with that information. Well… not until now. We’ll take it as we go, yeah?” 

Eren flashes Levi a casual grin as he walks to the kitchen for a glass of water. Levi resists the urge to groan at Eren’s casualness and instead rests his forehead in his palm. “You ready for tomorrow, then? Where’s the meeting?”

“I’m ready. It’s at a warehouse not too far from here. I’ll show you later.” Eren sips his water.

“Eren,” Levi says his name without thinking. When Eren looks back at him expectantly, Levi struggles with his words. He’s not sure what kind of relationship he’s supposed to have with Eren and frankly, he feels bad for him. He’s using him– but so is Eren. It’s a mutual symbiotic relationship, Levi hopes.

“I can’t go with you. It’s too risky for now but report every single detail back to me.”

Eren nods. “I think they’ll actually have my head if I brought you. Maybe send it in a package on your doorstep for dramatic effect. You’re an outsider.”

“Yeah, well, not for long,” Levi mutters under his breath. “Can’t exactly keep my word if I’m always over here waiting for you to report.”

Eren’s eyes crinkle with a sincere smile. “Thanks, Levi. I know I technically blackmailed you into letting me stay but thanks anyway.”

There it is again. Levi’s name sounds awkward in Eren’s mouth, but he doesn’t shy away from it. Levi nods in response. He decides not to bother Eren about anything else for now.

“Wow, you don’t look half-bad. I can’t even tell you were a feisty brat living on the streets just yesterday,” Levi remarks with a sip of his tea, the piping hot liquid scorching his tongue and throat. A crumpled newspaper is in his other hand, the headline something about a politician running for re-election. The day was spent rather awkwardly, with the pair mostly trying not to bump into each other. Levi woke up to Eren sorely trying to make scrambled eggs (and failing because Levi woke up to the smoke alarm beeping incessantly) until Levi stepped in and made them both breakfast. For a few hours, Levi was alone in his apartment as Eren left to see his friend, Armin. 

Now, it’s 5:30pm, just a half-hour from Eren’s meeting with Zeke and Reiner. Eren stands in front of him, palms hastily patting his suit down. It’s an obviously cheap black pinstripe suit with the shoulders a bit too wide and the pants an inch too high. Nonetheless, Eren looks good. His hair rests above his shoulders in a middle-part and he’s clean-shaven. 

“Thanks,” he mutters as he wipes down his loafers with a paper towel. “I got it from the nearby shelter. I told them I had a job interview.”

“Well,” Levi clicks his tongue, “That’s exactly what this is. Impress Zeke, bump your status, make connections, take me in as a dealer, and I’ll take it from there. That’s the plan. Right now it’s too risky to wiretap you so just report _everything._ If you don’t make it back in 3 hours, I’m going to assume you’re dead.” Levi instantly regrets adding that last point once he sees fear flash in Eren’s eyes. Curse his morbid, realistic self. “I’m… kidding. It’s just a meeting. You’ll be fine.”

“I know, I know,” Eren sighs almost petulantly having heard Levi’s words repeatedly over the past 24 hours. “Okay, I’m leaving. Can’t be late.”

“Don’t forget to-”

“Do the secret knock, yeah, I _know_ ,” Eren interjects with a small smile.

Levi purses his lips. “Okay, you’re ready. Go.”

“See ya.”

Eren waves half-heartedly to Levi before disappearing behind the door. Levi watches the door swing to a close with a loud creak, his gut curling inward.


	4. welcome home, brat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so... pretty much every tag I have applies here. consider yourself properly warned.

There are a few things Eren would never do. First of all, he would never cannonball naked into a pool at freezing temperatures– no, that’s something an idiot like Jean would do for a bit of cash in his pocket. Also, he would never eat brussels sprouts even if his life depended on it. But, on a more serious note, Eren would never involve Armin in his criminal affairs. He would do anything to protect him, even if it meant lying his ass off just so Armin wouldn’t know he was about to waltz into a room full of rifles, overpowered drug dealers, and men a hundred times more scary than Eren’s new roommate.

But he _knows_ that Armin knows. Armin is smart enough to know why Eren treats him to breakfasts, lunches, and dinners nearly everyday despite “working at a junkyard,” or why sometimes he shows up with a new cut or bruise on his body, the nasty purple markings doing nothing to falter Eren’s grin when he sees his best friend. He grins because he doesn’t want to scare Armin, but he thinks he’s failed at that already.

“Is something wrong, Eren? Because you can tell me.” Armin’s blue eyes are sharp and narrow, molded almost like Levi’s when he cornered Eren at the pier the day before. Armin is leaning against the stainless steel counter of the soup kitchen’s backroom, his palms supporting his weight behind him. Eren’s eyes travel downward to Armin’s exposed forearms and mentally winces at the white, horizontal cuts aligning his arm like marks on a tree branch. Armin’s apron is dirty, an unknown, creamy substance staining the front. 

Eren is holding his folded suit pieces in his arms. He hugs it closer as if Armin could figure out his secret if he looked too closely. 

“Nothing, Arm,” Eren says unconvincingly, glancing back at Armin for a half-second. He immediately wishes he could take back that statement because he’s _never_ called Armin “Arm.”

“You’re acting weird,” Armin points out with a pout.

“I’m not!” Eren cries with a laugh. He crosses his arms defensively. “It’s you who’s acting weird, not me. I just came to hang with my friend before your break is over.”

Armin shakes his head. “Why do you have a suit?”

“I have a job interview as a... desk receptionist. Fudged my resume a bit.”

“Well, good luck,” Armin says, clearly unconvinced. After a moment, Armin says, “Seriously, what’s going on with you? What’s this all about?”

“Nothing!” Eren’s outburst colors his face a bright shade of red. He takes in Armin’s shocked expression and breathes deeply. “It’s not about anything. It’s not… anything. There’s nothing going on with me. I just wanted to check in with you, that’s all.”

“Eren.”

“Yeah?”

“I know you’re a drug dealer.”

Eren meets Armin’s determined gaze. His blonde brows are furrowed, lips trembling slightly. “Oh,” is all Eren can say, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

“Yeah…” Armin’s shoulders drop, too, and he offers his friend a tiny smile, “I know you’re doing it for me, us, our dreams of getting out of this hellhole. But you can stop now. It’s scaring me.”

“W-What- I-” Eren’s grip on his suit loosens and he steps backward in surprise. “Did something happen?”

Armin’s teeth graze over his lip. He glances at the sink on his right, tiny droplets dripping every few seconds from the nozzle. “I think Reiner’s dangerous.”

“He’s a supplier, Armin. He probably cooks that shit up in his basement. He’s like…” Eren fumbles with his hands in the air as he searches for a metaphor, “A dumb but kinda funny and lovable jock. He’s a bro. Not all criminals are dangerous.”

“Eren, that’s literally-”

“Am I? Are you scared of _me_?” Eren taunts, his hands curling into fists. “I’m a drug dealer– does that mean I’m dangerous? Inferior? A good-for-nothing-”

“No, stop!” Armin cries. “That’s not what I’m trying to say at all. I just don’t have a good feeling about him, about this, everything that you’re doing. I feel like you’re in over your head a-and… you’re gonna get hurt.” Armin finishes his sentence flatly, bottom lip continuing to waver with his voice.

“I know what I’m doing,” Eren says curtly as he turns his back toward Armin. “I’ll come by tomorrow, okay?”

“Er-”

Eren shuts the door behind him before Armin can finish his sentence. He draws out a long breath and wipes away the tears that threaten to spill over his eyes.

The warehouse is about as shady as a warehouse could get. Graffiti and grime crawl all over the walls and steel frames. There are piles of trash, pieces of wood, and debris that are degraded down from the gnawing teeth of rodents that Eren could hear are fucking underneath. The warehouse is huge, abandoned, and ugly, so the large, round, metal table and matching chairs in the middle of the room look severely out of place. 

Two people are already sitting at the table. A stoic woman, who introduces herself as Yelena, sits at the farthest seat from the door. A man, Floch, sits next to her, casually leaning back in his seat with a bored expression on his face.

“What the fuck is this?” Eren mutters to himself as Reiner lets him in through a creaky door that definitely needs a new set of hinges. Another suited man, Bertolt, hands him his suit jacket back after thoroughly frisking it (and Eren, to his embarrassment) for anything suspicious.

“Our new home, baby,” Reiner replies with a laugh and clap of his hands, closing the door behind them.

Eren looks him over. Reiner’s blonde hair, usually short and fuzzy, is gelled back rather fashionably. His cream-colored suit is fitted and designer, his undershirt ripped open two buttons too much– all a stark contrast to Eren’s cheap, hand-me-down suit from the shelter and tighter style.

“What do you mean?” Eren asks, following Reiner and Bertolt to the table. Floch and Yelena give nods of acknowledgement to the trio.

“Sit,” Reiner instructs, gesturing to the chair opposite him as he takes a seat himself. Eren obeys. Reiner smiles in satisfaction. “Zeke recently acquired this place. We needed a new place for the shipments. Gonna fix it up sometime soon.”

“Drug shipments?”

“Drugs and…” Reiner licks his lips. “Skin. Foreign pussy.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” Eren swallows, his throat constricting uncomfortably. His skin crawls– he’s no longer sure if this is something he wants to be a part of but it’s too late to back out. He’s seen too much.

He glances at Bertolt, who is sitting next to Reiner. His hair is black as a raven and he’s absurdly tall. His black suit is also tailor-made, causing Eren to rub at his thighs as he feels more and more out of place. Bertolt looks completely unfazed by Reiner’s comments, as if he’s used to hearing it.

“Why did you invite me here, Reiner?” Eren asks, fidgeting in his seat.

Reiner flashes him a thumbs up. “Cuz you deserve it.” Reiner checks his watch, which Eren recognizes to be from an expensive brand. “Zeke and Annie should be here any minute.”

Just as Reiner finishes his sentence, the door swings open to reveal two more blonde individuals. Eren peers at the doorway, which is now guarded by an unknown man in black. 

Zeke saunters in with a wide grin on his face, round glasses shining under the harsh ceiling lights. He’s wearing a beige suit, which compliments his features well, in Eren’s opinion. He exudes an aura of natural leadership and Eren doesn’t miss the way Reiner and Bertolt’s eyes practically sparkle upon seeing Zeke.

Everyone in the room comes to an abrupt stand and Eren follows suit. He glances at a tiny figure behind Zeke– a woman, Annie, in a black pantsuit and a deep scowl on her face. She glares daggers at Eren once she catches him staring and he instantly shifts his gaze back to Zeke, who’s approaching them with his arms wide open. Annie takes the liberty to seat herself down. 

“Boss,” Reiner, Bertolt, and Yelena greet at the same time, voices inclined with awe.

“Good to see you all!” Zeke grins and turns to Eren, extending his hand. His eyes widen in recognition. “I assume you’re Eren? Eren Jaeger?” 

Eren takes his hand in his and gives it a curt shake, trying his best to hide his trembling, “Yes, sir. Nice to meet you.”

“Hm, pleasure.” Zeke seats himself on Eren’s right. He places a rough hand on Eren’s shoulder, causing the younger man to jolt in surprise. “Relax. This is just a meeting.”

This does nothing to relax Eren. His shoulders tense up considerably and Zeke laughs heartily at this as he removes his hand.

“Sorry, Boss, he’s new to this, as you know,” Reiner explains.

Zeke loudly slams his hand on the table in a moment of anger, causing nearly everyone except Annie to jump. Reiner whips his head in Zeke’s direction, eyes wide with fear. Zeke takes a breath and smiles, speaking through his teeth, “Did I say you can speak, Reiner?”

Reiner’s face falls miserably and Eren almost feels bad for him. “No, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

“Good.” Zeke clears his throat, the sound echoing against the steel walls of the warehouse. “Okay, onto business, my friends. Arms?”

Annie places her hands on the table, clasping her dainty fingers together. Eren tries his best to hold back his surprised splutter at the thought of Annie illegally trafficking arms. 

“Profit margins are good. 23%. I sent in an order for a new shipment of assault rifles. Also, the rats caught our scent for a bit but I took care of it.” Annie’s voice is low but clear, cutting through the stiff air like glass. Her voice never wavers and she meets Zeke’s curious gaze head on, not even blinking. 

“Lovely work as always, Annie,” Zeke praises with a nod.

They continue on like this around the table. Eren learns that Yelena is much like a secretary. She scribbles in her notes during the entire meeting and updates the attendees about disputes with clients as well as growing market demands (skin being one of them, which makes Eren much more uncomfortable than he already is). 

Eren goes after Yelena and he stumbles a bit, but successfully reports profits in his deals and his growing clientele, which earns him glowing praise from Zeke and an approving nod from Reiner. 

Reiner and Bertolt also go, both dealing primarily in meth and opium. Things look good for a while, but Bertolt unfortunately has to report that sales have been dropping on his end after the cops busted one of their labs last week and he’s been struggling to meet demand. Zeke isn’t happy about it and gives a colorful string of insults towards cops, but nonetheless lets Bertolt off with a stern warning to do better.

Finally, it’s Floch’s turn. He opens his mouth in anticipation of speaking next, but Zeke speaks instead, “Eren.” He faces Eren with a pleasant smile. 

Eren’s stomach twists like a wet rag being wrung out repeatedly. He wets his lips before replying, “Yes, sir?” 

“Now that you’ve seen the bulk of our operations, what do you think?” Zeke sets his hands on the table and clasps them expectantly.

“Oh, uh…” Eren’s eyes travel up to meet Zeke’s. “It looks like we’re doing well for ourselves.”

“Exactly,” Zeke confirms with a nod. “We’re a growing empire, people. Let’s do what we were sent to do, alright? We’re gonna make our brothers and sisters overseas proud.”

The participants around the table nod, some more eagerly than others. Reiner’s thick neck looks like it’s about to break from all the nodding, which is somewhat amusing to Eren.

“Amazing. You’ve all done an amazing job. But you know what a growing empire _doesn’t_ need?” Zeke cuts his merry laughter short, his hand on the table curling with anger.

No one answers but Eren notices Floch shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Eren holds his breath in anticipation, his throat tight and dry. His skin lines with goosebumps as he watches Zeke’s smile turn into a deep, upset frown. 

“Floch,” Zeke’s tone is so sharp he may as well have stabbed the man thrice.

Floch inhales and shuts his eyes as if he were expecting Zeke to speak up. “Yes, Boss?” 

“So help me God, why is your stock plummeting? Tell me why last month, two of our most valuable products went missing and the month before that, we lost three?”

Floch doesn’t reply, his mouth opening and closing as his eyes glaze over with fear. Eren pities him and wishes he could tell the man to get a grip. 

“Asians, Floch. Asians. Why are all the Asians going missing? You know how much they cost, Floch? Don’t you?” Zeke is as patronizing as he is angry. His calm voice is deep and reverberates across the room. Eren’s breath hitches and he reminds himself not to make a sound.

“Are you killing them, Floch? Fucking them and keeping them to yourself? Do you like Asian pussy that much?” Zeke asks with an exasperated sigh.

“I-I’m sorr-” Floch nearly bites his tongue in his haste to reply and his face scrunches up as if he’s about to cry. 

“You don’t have to answer, then, because I _know_.” Zeke turns to Yelena, who’s pulling files from a neat manila folder. She neatly places pictures of horribly mangled, bloody women on the table. 

“From your porn site and computer,” Yelena explains. 

Yelena also flips open her laptop, which she pulls from her bag, and the screen brightens to a downloaded video. She turns it around for the group to see before pressing play. The video fades open to a man, presumably Floch, with his pants and underwear pulled down to his ankles as he stands behind a sobbing woman. She’s restrained to a bed with zip ties along her bleeding wrists and ankles and Floch is holding her up, nails digging into each side of her ass. As Floch fucks into her ass, her loud protests echo throughout the warehouse. It’s nearly too dark to see, but the metal of a pocket knife glints and Eren watches in abject horror as Floch drags the tip of the knife down the woman’s back, the blood trailing down to her sides.

Eren swallows back a wave of nausea and blinks away tears. He notices the rest of the group is watching with straight faces and he feels even more sick. He contemplates on leaving the room, but knows he can’t just do that, so he fiddles with the collar of his shirt and clenches and unclenches his fists nervously. He shuts his eyes tight, listening to the sound of skin slapping skin, the relentless dragging of the knife on the woman's back, and her screams and sobs. After a little while, her screams begin to die down and Eren dares to look again. She's given up at this point, not even sobbing anymore. Her eyes are blank, like an empty shell, even as Floch presses the knife so tightly against her throat that it bleeds. 

“Turn that off, Yelena, I’m getting dinner after this,” Zeke instructs with a wave of his hand. Yelena nods and closes her laptop. Eren subtly sighs in relief.

“Look at you with our stock, you sick bastard. You think we couldn’t find your porn site? Are we that stupid to you?”

“I-It won’t happen again, Boss. I p-promise. _I promise_!” Floch cries desperately, throwing up his hands to shield his face.

Zeke crosses his arms, unfazed. “Hm.” 

For a moment, everyone is silent except for Floch, who’s damn near hysterical. He sobs, muttering apologies over and over again.

“Would you _shut up_?” Annie speaks up, annoyed.

Floch doesn’t process her words as snot dribbles down from his nose and into his mouth. He draws in a sharp breath, blubbering uncontrollably.

“Reiner. Bertolt,” Zeke says finally, wiggling his finger toward himself, “Hold Floch down.”

With nothing but obedient nods, the duo locks Floch in his chair with iron-like grips. They pin his arms down on the sides of the metal chair. It screeches across the floor as Floch struggles in their grip, kicking wildly. Bertolt, obviously annoyed, rips his tie from his neck and shoves it in Floch’s open mouth. Floch gags on the cloth, his muffled screams filling the room.

Eren instinctively looks away from the scene, shaking like a leaf. Zeke’s attention turns to Eren and he offers him a small, albeit twisted smile. 

“Eren, don’t look away.”

Eren jumps in his seat. This is the third time Zeke has said his name so far, and every single time, Eren wishes he were somewhere else far, far away. Eren’s eyes well up with tears as he obeys Zeke’s order, watching with bated breath as Floch continues to flail in his chair.

“You’re new here and frankly, I’m not sure I can trust you,” Zeke says loudly to Eren, attempting to drown out Floch’s hysterical crying. “I mean, look at Floch. I recruited him a year ago and he repays me like _this_ … oh, hell, poor fucker’s pissed his pants now.” Zeke’s face wrinkles with disgust as he sniffs the urine-scented air. 

Eren nods along, stomach dropping with every word. His frown creases deeper. 

“I’ll get to the point.” Zeke adjusts his glasses and looks straight at Eren. “Kill Floch for me, would you? I’m tired.”

Floch screams louder and gags on the tie, his saliva spilling down his chest and onto his thighs. 

Eren blinks in surprise and laughs nervously behind his palm. “W-What do you mean, sir? I can’t-”

“You can,” Zeke says encouragingly. He points to Floch. “You see that tie? Just give it a good squeeze around his neck and you’re good to go.”

Eren bares his teeth in an attempt to not cry. He inhales sharply, feeling as if he’s just been stabbed in the gut. His insides curl and there are uncomfortable ringing sounds in his ears. He swallows thickly, throat filling with the bile from his stomach. 

“Hurry up, you fuck!” Reiner groans, pushing his arms down even more to stop Floch from running from his grip. 

Annie and Yelena both watch intently, gazes flickering between Eren, Floch, and Zeke.

“Eren,” Zeke says with the same tone a strict father would use on his young son, “Do it now.”

Eren opens his mouth to protest, but Zeke stares him down, an underlying threat in his expression. Eren lets out a strangled whine from his throat from the pressure in the room. He gets to his feet with much difficulty as his legs threaten to buckle from under him. Slowly, he walks toward Floch’s chair, shoulders heaving up and down as he sucks in shallow breaths. His eyes sting with tears once he meets Floch’s fearful, wide eyes with his own. His expression reminds Eren of a rabbit caught in a trap, awaiting its doom as the walls of the tiny box close in on its pitiful existence. 

Floch shakes his head wildly and manages to get in two hard kicks to Eren’s thighs. Eren winces from the sudden blow, but it angers him. He blinks, images of Floch raping and mutilating the woman seared into his brain. Her screams replay in his head over and over and over again. He glances back at the pictures of five horribly disfigured women on the table and knows they met the same fate as the woman in the video. Eren reminds himself that Floch is a danger to society, a _pig_ – one that hardly deserves to live. 

Before Eren knows it, Bertolt’s tie is in his hands after pulling it from Floch’s mouth. It’s slick and damp with warm saliva and Eren makes a note to wash his hands thoroughly later. He toys with the tie in his hands, pulling the thick cloth into a straight line. 

“Stop! Stop, please! Please!” Floch pleads through intense sobs. He chokes on his saliva, continuing to kick in Eren’s direction with all his might.

Eren traces his fingers along the tie, clearly stalling.

“Now or never, Eren,” Bertolt pushes him quietly, forehead covered in a layer of sweat as he holds Floch down.

Eren gulps and shuts his eyes tight, pulling on the tie one last time.

“ _Eren_!” Floch screams, his throat hoarse. Eren jolts at the sound of his name. “Please, please, I’m sorry! I won’t do it again!” 

“ _Liar_ ,” Eren declares in a shrilly, whiny voice, “You’re making me do this. It’s you, ‘cuz you’re scum. You don’t deserve to live. You’re sick.”

“Eren, I’m not making you do this! I’m not!” 

“Shut up, you pig!” Eren cries as he wraps Bertolt’s tie around Floch’s neck and fastens it securely. He watches as Floch lets out an involuntary gasp as the air is forced out of his lungs. Slowly, Eren pulls, the cloth growing tighter around Floch’s neck. Floch drools, making guttural noises as the pressure tightens. Eren’s shallow, infrequent breath matches Floch’s as he struggles for air. Eren pulls again forcefully– Floch wheezes and his eyes nearly pop out of their sockets. 

Eren pulls the hardest he can and watches as Floch’s face gradually drains of any color. Soon, his wheezing slows down and his body grows limp. Eren realizes he’s stopped fighting once Reiner and Bertolt withdraw their arms. He releases the tie, letting his shoulders sag miserably and arms droop at his sides. 

Eren is panting. A chorus of “shit, what the fuck did I do?” echoes in his brain. His head spins and he takes a step backward, but stops as he feels the need to faint. Suddenly, there are loud clapping sounds. Eren turns around, chest heaving, to see Zeke standing and clapping happily, a huge grin on his lips. He looks at him in a daze, confusion etched on his face.

“That was beautiful, Eren.” Zeke looks around the table with a raised brow. The people around the table stand and reluctantly give Eren a scattered applause. The sight makes Eren want to throw up. His gut wrenches with every second that passes and his eyes go in and out of focus as he attempts to stare back at Zeke.

Reiner’s eyes shine with approval as he approaches Eren. He places a large, meaty hand on Eren’s shoulder and offers him a glowing smile.

“Welcome to the Marleyan Syndicate, brother. You’ve done well.”

Eren is beyond dizzy. He’s thrown up four times all the way back to the apartment and is, frankly, amazed he’s even made it this far. His head pounds aggressively and tears stain his face, neck, and chest. He thinks he might have screamed all the way back, too, but it’s all too much of a blur for Eren to handle. 

But Eren’s screams are no match for the way Floch screamed as Eren tightened the tie around his neck. They’re no match for the screams of the woman in the video, too. Eren wants to curl up into a ball and hide somewhere, anywhere to get him out of this mess.

He killed someone. He killed a man.

He lifts his fists to Levi’s apartment door, banging the wood rapidly. Guttural sobs escape his throat and he lets out a high-pitched whine, unable to contain himself. He sniffles loudly, furiously swiping at his tears so Levi wouldn’t see.

The door opens not a second later, and Levi appears from behind. He’s wearing sweats and is holding a cup of coffee in his hands. Eren knows he was waiting for him, just like he said he would.

“Welcome home, brat." Levi pauses, his expression twisting into one of confusion. "What happened?"

Eren wants to stay composed. He freezes up at the sight of Levi, and in his best, most calm voice, says, “I-”

But the words can’t come out and instead present as gibberish. His face contorts grotesquely as he releases a strangled cry. Levi’s concerned expression quickly turns into understanding and he sets his coffee on the counter before opening his arms just slightly. 

Eren lets out another soft whine before pulling Levi into his arms, effectively wrapping himself around the older man. He squeezes, so much so that it reminds Eren of Floch, which makes him cry even harder. He feels Levi’s hands travel up his spine before they rest on his back as Levi adjusts himself comfortably in Eren’s tight embrace. It's comforting to Eren, almost, and he knows that Levi is the only person in the world who might have a chance at understanding him right now.

Levi’s face is pressed up against Eren’s chest, so when he speaks, his voice is muffled to the point where Eren can barely hear him.

"Whatever it is, you're gonna be okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no, I can’t believe I did that either


End file.
